PackingI try to avoid buying boxes and padded envelopes. I usually save and reuse boxes, padded envelopes, bubble wrap that I receive things in. The wife recycles a few out if it becomes excessive. Less cost, less waste. "Reduce, reuse, recycle". I don't like to see extravagant wrapping on the things I receive (but I do expect things to be properly wrapped/protected - assume there will be some rough handling and sharp edges involved in the delivery process). Always include a return address on the outside - and preferably on the inside too (surname, house number & postcode is usually enough if your are in a hurry).

PostingLighter, smaller packing can significantly reduce your postage costs - things like CDs are borderline items these days, a bit too much packaging can shift them into a much more expensive category. Second class mail and regular parcel post (which post offices usually don't suggest by default these days) are good enough for most things, they usually arrive "the morning after tomorrow" - I see folk wait 3 days then something first class, which seems rather silly. Ask for proof of posting (no cost) - it'll help if your package goes astray but with a return address on the outside, that should never happen. Recorded delivery requiring a signature can be a royal pain these days, as the Post Office takes ours 6 miles away to a depot with short hours and no parking, or charge extra to re-deliver it - if nobody is home (or if they don't ring/knock).

For parcels check the PO website first (they don't make it easy but the information is there) - that's saved me from being overcharged more than once. For very large/very heavy parcels google for one of the couriers that provide "ebay" services. They can be much cheaper (& the PO won't even touch extremely big/heavy stuff at all) - and usually they'll collect from your home at no extra charge. The one that I use once used DHL do the collection and delivery (to Italy) - and at half the price quoted by the post office (I could also have sent many times the weight that I need to send for the same fixed price).

I have seen folk get away with some pretty minimal packing for sturdy items (fins, boots, clothes), involving a large black bin-bag (or those heavier duty rubble sacks) and lots of that cheap, shiny brown packing tape for reinforcement. I wouldn't recommend it for you carvings though.

I use ebay for smaller boxes for my fan birds. I also try to use recycled boxes. All shops chuck out thousands of boxes a year, some of them are more than happy to let you take them. A lot of them also have no writing on them.For big boxes, I go to white goods sellers, I have even been known to take a whole bale out of there compactor, they are a bit surprised about this. Big boxes can be very expensive and I only use recycled. On average I can use between 30 and 50 a year, if I had to buy them the cost would be at least £300.

"Scarcely anything is original- it`s very hard to be totally inventive, so I am not terribly interested in originality. Vitality is all I care about" Clive JamesGreen wood courses, tools, demonstrations.http://www.seanhellman.com/woodwork/

Postal regulations in any country in the civilized (and even uncivilized) world are a nightmare. In the USA they are quite unbelievable. However and as usual, Sean has the key. Recycle. CDs are often shipped in envelopes with a plastic bubble-wrap inside. If your spoon fits in it, use that. I save bubble wrap for just such occasions. I also save the "plastic peanuts" (actually styrofoam peanuts) beloved by computer manufacturers and others. You can chop up styrofoam, the curse of disposal experts, to the same effect. If you have some stiff cardboard (any old carton) tape your spoon to it. The stiff cardboard is important. Surround it with bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts, and bung it off. In a pinch (and I come to it every Christmas) use loosely crumpled newspaper. Don't crumple it too tight. As to boxes. I order lots of stuff from the Internet. I put the boxes on the back porch. I raid that stash whenever I need a box. Smallest box usually best, although that is regulation-dependent. There are volume/weight ratios, guaranteed to give you insanity.

When the paratroopers jump out of airplanes, crazy though they may be, they pack their equipment accordingly. There is a demo that paratroopers are given. An egg is dropped from about 2 meters solo. Needless to say it splatters. Another egg is taped to a cardboard bottom. Amazingly it survives the drop, provided it lands cardboard first. The cardboard used is the stiff kind used in liquor boxes, sort of a waffle inside. It gives just enough to avoid scrambled egg. So just in case, I pack my stuff by taping it to cardboard first. Who knows, the postal sevice treatment (in any country) may be a lot worse than jumping out of an airplane.

For parcels check the PO website first (they don't make it easy but the information is there) - that's saved me from being overcharged more than once. For very large/very heavy parcels google for one of the couriers that provide "ebay" services. They can be much cheaper (& the PO won't even touch extremely big/heavy stuff at all) - and usually they'll collect from your home at no extra charge. The one that I use once used DHL do the collection and delivery (to Italy) - and at half the price quoted by the post office (I could also have sent many times the weight that I need to send for the same fixed price).

If you are sending a parcel - I recommend asking for/about the Post Office's "Standard Rate" (which uses their Parcel Force organisation). It's generally cheaper (often much cheaper) than 1st or 2nd class, and it includes some basic insurance (£46) too. It is frickin hard to find their price list -their website is so annoyingly coy about prices - but I eventually managed to find it again:

steve tomlin wrote:does anyone know how I can send a hayrake through the post for a reasonable price? Mine are 2m long and 75cm long so they exceed the normal allowable dimensions and the quotes from Shiply are £50!

Why not follow IKEA's model and flat-pack your rakes? i.e. customer fits handle on head which you have driven tines into. Much easier to send a packet 2 meters long with most components in same axis. I don't know if this would work for bow rakes , but it could work for split-handled rakes.

I know little about rakes, so I may be about to learn more if the 'flat-pack' idea is sh!te.

I think the problem here is that Post Office's Standard parcel only accepts objects up to 1.5m length. They tried refusing a short 2 piece fishing rod at the nearest large PO - fortunately I had checked all the dimensions & weight against the info. on the link above beforehand, and was able to point out that it was well within all of the limits.

BTW anybody else notice that previously jolly PO sub-postmasters have become extremely sullen recently? I guess the security (and quite a lot of the income) has gone out of their end of the business.

For parcels check the PO website first (they don't make it easy but the information is there) - that's saved me from being overcharged more than once. For very large/very heavy parcels google for one of the couriers that provide "ebay" services. They can be much cheaper (& the PO won't even touch extremely big/heavy stuff at all) - and usually they'll collect from your home at no extra charge. The one that I use once used DHL do the collection and delivery (to Italy) - and at half the price quoted by the post office (I could also have sent many times the weight that I need to send for the same fixed price).

If you are sending a parcel - I recommend asking for/about the Post Office's "Standard Rate" (which uses their Parcel Force organisation). It's generally cheaper (often much cheaper) than 1st or 2nd class, and it includes some basic insurance (£46) too. It is frickin hard to find their price list -their website is so annoyingly coy about prices - but I eventually managed to find it again: